ITS SNOWING!!!!

I can't believe how much it's snowing tonight.  I heard it was only supposed to snow like one inch!  I think it's already passed that, and it doesn't look like it's stopping.  Hope you've got some warm jammies and a good movie, cause you might not be going anywhere this weekend!
Getting snowed in isn't always a bad thing, though.  Sometimes it's nice to stop, isn't it?

Last week I felt so rushed and busy, and on top of my crazy schedule it seemed like my phone was constantly buzzing with texts and updates and things, which is fine, but it was all happening at once and it wasn't stopping!
I really needed a break.  So I put my phone on airplane mode and opened up my Bible, it was nice to spend some time with God in the middle of a super busy day.  I turn to Jesus when life is hectic simply because He's constant.  He's the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13.8) and when it feels like everything is spinning, I need to put my feet on some solid ground.

In Matthew chapter 11, Jesus is teaching a group of people when he says,
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11.28-30)

Before he says this, He's talking about repentance.
When I studied with Donnie Smith, she related this verse to repentance by saying, "If we're going to put on Jesus' yoke, it makes sense that we would have to take off whatever yoke we're carrying." Repentance is simply explained like you're driving, then pull a U-Turn, and drive in the opposite direction.  A 180 turn is an example of repenting from sin, because it illustrates going toward sin, realizing it's wrong, stopping and turning around from it, then running away from sin...180.

Running from sin is only possible when we realize we're running toward it in the first place, and repentance only happens when we turn AWAY from sin and leave it behind.  When we turn away from sin but try to carry some of it with us, we're not really repenting.  Jesus tells us to throw sin away and pick up what He's got for us.  When we come to Jesus we trade sin for salvation, worry for peace, fear for boldness, weakness for strength, temporary for eternity...

So maybe while it's snowing and you're stuck at home this weekend, it would be the perfect time to turn your phone off, and quiet down.  Spend some time in prayer and ask Jesus to take your burdens.  Get into John 9 (I'll post the study guide soon!) and ask Jesus to teach you whatever He wants to.  His yoke is way easier than whatever you've been trying to carry and his burden is a million times lighter than trying to deal with your sin on your own.

Be safe on these snowy roads!
Love!

GOTTA TELL YA!

TWO THINGS!

~FIRST~

Remember at CIY last summer, the girl who spoke about Rahab, Whitney Woolard?  Weelllllll, she's doing a FREE all day seminar called "Reign" at The Crossing in Quincy on January 28th.  The seminar is free, but your lunch is on you, so bring $$ for lunch!  I'm suggesting $10.  If you want to go, will you text me (pretty please!) as quick as you can, the deadline to sign up is January 22! 

~SECOND~

On February 3+4, there is an all-girls conference at Lincoln Christian University in Lincoln, IL called "Awaken Boldly!"  The cost is $45 for your ticket/room/meals on campus/gasoline and additional $$ for dinner on the way over and snacks if you want them on the way home and t shirts or other merch you might wanna get at the event.  So, I'm suggesting $60 for a great girls retreat weekend with teens from all over the area at a cool campus!  Let me know SOON!  The deadline to sign up is JANUARY 27!

SO... TWO THINGS:

1. Jan 28, The Crossing, Whitney Woolard $10 

Deadline to sign up: JAN22

2. Feb 3+4, LCU, Awaken Boldly $60 

Deadline to sign up: JAN 25

Contact Kate! 

 You can text me, or email me at TheCraftyStoner@gmail.com 

or you can just call me the old fashioned way.

just TELL me by the deadline if you wanna come so you don't get left out!

Finally,

I hope you're all finding time to get into John 8, its SUCH a powerful chapter. I'm praying for yall, that you're letting God speak to you through His living and active word!  

LOVE

John 8

Before you open your bible, take some time to quiet your self and pray: Lord, You made me, You know me... Help me to hear Your voice in Your word and know You more. Amen.

A QUICK LITTLE NOTE ON JOHN 8.1-11

Something you HAVE to know about this passage of scripture (John 8.1-11) is that it is NOT included in the earliest manuscripts of John's gospel. You probably noticed when you were reading this passage that your Bible has this part marked and noted something like, "This isn't in the earliest manuscripts!" The short story of why it IS included in our modern day Bible is this: This story is probably true because it matches up with Jesus' life, behavior and teaching in the rest of scripture. So what's the problem? Almost all scholars agree that John didn't write it. So who did? Most scholars think it was Luke. If you would like to know more about how scripture was put together or what a manuscript is- I'd love to talk about it with you, but for now, let's take a look at this text concerning Jesus' life.

Read John 8.1-11

Question: Can you identify with the woman in her moment of public exposure(v.3-4)? How do you think she felt? __________________________________________________.

Just so you know: Everyone wishes they knew what Jesus was writing in the dirt in verse 6, but no one really knows. However, don't miss how Jesus isn't intimidated AT ALL by the questioning of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law! Understand that he won't be trapped into condemning the woman (which could be seen as pronouncing capital punishment, and that could get him in trouble with Rome) OR contradicting the law of Moses (Deuteronomy 22.22-24).

Question: What is the reason the woman has been brought to Jesus? (HINT v4-5) _________________________________

The Pharisees tell Jesus what Moses' law says, probably referring to Deuteronomy 22.22--what does that verse say? ________________________________________________.

So, think about that... Who did the Pharisees forget to bring before Jesus?__________.

What does Jesus say that causes each accuser there to leave one at a time? (HINT v.7) ___________________________

PUT IT TOGETHER: Read Romans 6.23, How does this verse relate to this story? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Christ's forgiveness is freely given, but it's not cheap. With grace comes the expectation of godliness. Jesus sends her away with a commission to purity. If the story isn't true, at least it reflects the character and beauty of our Lord's love for broken people." -Mark Moore.

Read John 8.12-20

Just so you know: The area of the temple court where the following interaction happens is the place where the Pharisees would usually teach; Jesus is teaching in their space.

QUESTION: How do the pharisees challenge Jesus this time? (HINT : v.13) _______________________________________

QUESTION: Why don't they seize him this time? (HINT v.20)

________________________________________________

Read John 8.21-30

QUESTION: What does Jesus say concerning those who don't believe in Him? (v.24) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________.

QUESTION: What does v 30 say was happening even while Jesus was having this discussion about death and sin with the Pharisees? ______________________________________.

Your story: What was going on in your life when you when you decided to believe Jesus? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Read John 8.31-38

QUESTION: What does Jesus say to the Jewish people who believed Him? (v31+32) ______________________________________

JUST SO YOU KNOW : "Hold to my teaching" in Greek is more like, "continue in my word" and the word "Word" is the same greek word logos from John1.1, and that "Word" is Jesus, The word continue in greek is like "be present." So, if we look at the greek, it's like Jesus is saying, "If you want to learn from me, be around me." 

QUESTION: In this passage, the Jewish people are saying to Jesus "we are Abraham's descendants" BUT at the same time, what are they doing (v37) ___________________________________

Your Story: Have you ever caught yourself saying you were a believer but acting as if you weren't? Who or what got you back on track? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Maybe you're still struggling with this issue, take some time to pray and ask God to help you live out what you say you believe.

Read John 8.39-47

JUST SO YOU KNOW: This passage is CRAZY! I can't imagine this being a calm discussion! If I were standing in this crowd, I think I would be scooting to the edge, because I can't stand confrontation, and I bet the people are getting super upset (to say the least) about the things Jesus is saying to them.

QUESTION: How does Jesus describe the way the devil speaks in v.44? ____________________________________________________

QUESTION: How does Jesus describe the way He (Jesus) speaks in v. 46? ________________________________________________

Read John 8.48-59

QUESTION: What does Jesus promise in v 51 __________________________________________________

QUESTION: Why don't the Jewish people believe this? (hint v.52) ___________________________________________________

JUST SO YOU KNOW: In v. 58, Jesus says, "Before Abraham was born, I AM!" To the Jewish people this sounds like Jesus is being totally disrespectful, Jewish people didn't even say God's name out loud, and Jesus just claimed to BE God, that sounds like blasphemy to them because they don't realize that Jesus really is telling the truth. Even though Jesus is speaking plainly and truthfully, they aren't listening.

QUESTION: How do the Jewish people respond to Jesus telling them that he is "I AM"? v59 ______________________

BE ENCOURAGED: This is SUCH a heavy text!!! I worked up until the last minute squirming through these passages! Dealing with sin is so messy and so uncomfortable, yet in these passages we see Jesus address it head-on. I don't usually feel like addressing sin head on, usually when someone is sinning, I make excuses for them, "She's probably just having a bad day..." "Oh, you're not gossiping, you're venting!" And if I get caught sinning, forget about facing it head-on, I feel just like that girl in the beginning of chapter 8 whose sin has been found out and I just want to curl up and sit there waiting to be beat up-- It's like I forget that Jesus isn't there to beat me up about my sin, He's there to pull me out of it once and for all.

I've been following Jesus for a while now, but I still remember very well what it's like to be a slave to sin-- those are sad memories. This week I heard Louie Giglio say, "There is a belief out there that sin makes us bad, but sin doesn't make me bad...sin makes me dead!" That quote really struck me, because sometimes, even when I claim to be following Jesus, I make excuses for sin and I allow myself to believe the lie that a little sin won't make me too bad because i'll make up for it by being good. BUT the problem is that sin doesn't make me bad, it makes me dead and I can't be just a little dead... right? Dead OR alive... not both.

The wrong idea I had is the same one the pharisees have in these passages, they think that religion (aka good or right living) or having the right relatives ("Abraham is our father, and he's really good!") is going to save them. 


When Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, If you keep my word, you won't see death," and "If you hold to my teaching then you are really my disciples," and "if the son sets you free, you will be free indeed," my heart just does backflips! Because those verses are all in present tense! Do you see that it's not about some decision you made a long time ago, or some verse you read a long time ago- it's about THIS WEEK! NOW! It's time for us to wake up and follow and live and let Jesus change us NOW!  That's what this passage is all about, sin kills us, but Jesus give us freedom to leave sin behind and live, just like the woman at the beginning of chapter 8.

Girls, God has shown us incredible mercy, we don't deserve it because by choosing to sin, we chose death-- but by his death on the cross, he's given us life, so by all means- let's live!

FINALLY: In John 8, we see how Jesus deals with sin. He calls it like it is. He tells us the truth that sin will make us it's slaves and lead us straight to our deaths, and then He reveals himself as the way to freedom from sin and to life forever! The pharisees had a really hard time hearing Jesus because he was speaking truth to them and they were believing lies about who they were and about who He was. Ask God to start teaching you the TRUTH about himself, ask Him to strip away the lies you've believed about yourself and others and even Him.

I have my sources....

Hi girls!  I thought yall might want to know what I study when I want to get prepared to teach God's word.  For these lessons on John in particular, I've been studying Mark Moore and Louie Giglio's teaching the most... Here's a little bit about them:

Mark Moore is a professor at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO (but yall already knew that!)  On top of teaching, he's a writer and a really good preacher.  He was one of my favorite professors while I was at OCC because he always took time to explain things to us, once he took time and went to lunch with a group of us girls from his Acts class to discuss the doctrine of predestination because we were having trouble understanding.  What a great guy!

(This is Mark Moore)

 Mark Moore has a book called The Chronological Life of Christ volume 1, and that's where I get a lot of the answers to historical and cultural questions that come up when I'm studying.

(This is his book, the exact one I use to study)

Louie Giglio is one of my favorite pastors of all time.  He preaches at a church in Atlanta, GA called, Passion City Church if you want to you can go to his church's website (click "passion city church") and listen to the exact sermons Louie Giglio preached on John that I listened to when I was preparing these lessons for yall!  I've listened to Louie since I was in high school and I just love to hear him preach!  You guys might remember the videos we showed in Sunday School a while back, "Indescribable" "How Great is Our God" "Hope:When Life Hurts the Most" and "Fruit Cake + Ice Cream." I know yall love Louie too, I think everyone does.

(That's Louie!!)

AND as always www.blueletterbible.org is awesome for looking up the meaning of words in their original language and to look up passages in different translations.

When I read for myself, I usually use The Message translation because it's so easy to read and understand, but when I teach I use the New International Version since that's what most of yall have and its so common.  I like to read both and compare sometimes just to really get what's going on in these passages.

I want you girls to know where I go to learn about this stuff so YOU can go to these places and learn as well!  I sure love you and can't wait to see ya soon!

LOVE

John 7

Before you open your bible, take some time to quiet yourself and pray:
Lord, open my heart to hear your word, let me know You more tonight than I did before.  Amen.


read John 7.1-5

JUST SO YOU KNOW: Tabernacles, or The Festival of Booths (Leviticus 23.33ff) was a feast like our Thanksgiving, only more exciting because everyone camped together for 8 days in tents (or booths).  God gave the Jewish people this festival so they would remember how he led them with Moses through the desert.  During the week, they would remember different parts of their journey and thank God for leading them through.


YourStory: Is there something in your life you are thankful that God brought you through?  Take just a minute to thank Him as you're reading: ________________________________.




read John 7.6-9


question: Here we see Jesus' brothers trying to convince him to go with them to the festival.  They don't get why he doesn't want to go and show the people who He is.  What answer does He give them for not going to Judea? ____________________.
There is another reason Jesus isn't ready to go to Judea in 7.1, what is it? _____________________.




read John 7.10-13
question: Jesus decides to go up to the festival separate from the group, when he gets there people are talking about him-- what are they saying about Jesus? (HINT V.11-12) ______________________________________________________________.




read John 7.14-18
JUST SO YOU KNOW: Tabernacles lasted 8 days, from one Sabbath to the next Sabbath.  A few days into the festival, Jesus lets loose and starts teaching, what does Jesus say about his own teaching? (HINT v.16) _______________________________________________________.


GO DEEPER: Read verse 18 again.  The Message version says it like this, "A person making things up tries to make himself look good.  But someone trying to honor the one who sent him sticks to the facts and doesn't tamper with the truth."
QUESTION: What do you think God wants you to know about Jesus based on this passage? _________________________________________________________________.


Think about this: Jesus lived to give glory to God, He spoke truth.  Do we long to be like Jesus who gave God glory or do we seek to make ourselves look good?  Becoming a disciple is a process, so wherever you find yourself tonight, remember that Jesus wants to make you more like HIm, full of truth.


read John 7.19-20
JUST SO YOU KNOW: Tabernacles was all about remembering.  They camped to remember traveling through the desert, they lit candles to remember how God led them as a pillar of fire (Numbers 14.14). They also used water to remember water flowing from the rock (Exodus 17.1-7).  Here Jesus speaks about Moses' law, it's what the people were seeing and touching and remembering all week long.


read John 7.21-24
JUST SO YOU KNOW:  In this passage, Jesus is reminding them of the man he healed on the sabbath (John 5, "take up your mat and walk..." remember?) The Jewish leaders were upset about this miracle because Jesus healed the man on the sabbath.  So in this passage when Jesus talks about how they perform the ritual of circumcision on the sabbath, he is really pointing out how insane it is for them to criticize him for healing an entire person on the sabbath.  He is telling them that people are more valuable to God than ritual.  This is kind of intense.




read John 7.25-30
QUESTION: Why do you think Jesus' words in v28-29 set off the crowd and caused them to attack Jesus? _____________________________________________________.


read John 7.31-36
JUST SO YOU KNOW: Jesus has presented his purpose, He is trying to tell people what is going to happen in a very short time and also let them understand that time in general is very temporary.  Remember when Jesus said, "it's not time for me to go yet" ?  He is purposely following God's timing by asking God if it's time and being obedient to what God tells him in prayer.


"Lord, when?!" Is there anything in your life you need to take to God and ask Him about His timing?  Go in prayer: __________________________________________________________________________________.


read John 7.37-44
JUST SO YOU KNOW: Keep in mind, Jesus is still at the festival.  He is seeing the water and hearing the people remember God's signs and miracles and then he steps up and says, "if you're thirsty come to me and i'll fill you so full of the living water you've been craving that it will be like it's pouring out of you and refreshing everyone around you!  Believe in me!  That is what the Scriptures say!" (7.37-38).
Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit.  This is an awesome preview of what it is like to follow Jesus and let him lead you in His presence.  How has God's Holy Spirit filled you up? __________________________________________________.  How, if ever, have you seen this pour out into others? _________________________________________________.


What are some of the questions people have asked about what Jesus has said? (HINT v.40-44) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What are some questions you have about what Jesus has just said? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.




read John 7.45-53


QUESTION: Why didn't the guards seize Jesus? (HINT v.45-46) _______________________________________________________________________.




Be Encouraged: There have been lots of people who've tried to go "seize Jesus." Many athiest scholars have tried to prove him wrong.  C.S.Lewis (author of Mere Christianity, and The Chronicles of Narnia) and Lee Strobel (author of The Case for Christ) are two examples of these kinds of attacks on Jesus' teaching.  The amazing thing about these two men is that when they approached God's word intending to tear it apart, they found no fault in Jesus and incredibly HE started to CHANGE their hearts and answer their doubts!!! He really is the TRUTH!  Jesus took their doubt and turned it into proof and encouragement for countless thousands of Christians worldwide!  How awesome!  So, if you struggle with doubt about God, take it to Him, He is big enough to handle your questions and He wants to lead you to the truth about himself.


FINALLY:
In John 7, we see Jesus get missional-- we see Him get serious about God's timing and God's purpose in His life.  He says to his brothers, "You can do what you want, I'm on God's time."  Through Jesus' faithfulness and obedience, God's love was revealed to mankind.  How can you become more obedient in your life?  In the book Jesus Calling, the author suggests learning to say, "I trust you, Jesus" in the midst of struggling to understand God's timing.  So in the middle of doubt or suffering, trusting God allows us to truly draw near to His presence and let God's Spirit show love through us to everyone around us.


LOVE.

HOORAY!

Hey girls!  I made a blog!!!!
Here's why I did it-- I want to do everything I can to help you to grow to know God deeply!

When we meet on Wednesday nights, our time is SO limited and there is just so much to talk about when we start digging into God's word!  I know yall have questions that go unanswered and I know there are things yall want to say that get passed over for the sake of making it through the text before the guys show up!  I'd like this to be a place for you to share those thoughts and ask those questions, so feel free to post comments, just remember everyone can see them and be respectful of each other :)

I also know that there are some weeks when you can't attend, or maybe you always have practice or homework and you can never make it out for study on Wednesdays...  Well, I was thinking of you when I was loading this up-- I want you to be able to study and grow right along with the rest of us!

So... I'm planning on posting our study guides through John each week, so you can keep up if you miss, and to encourage yall as you seek to follow Jesus.  I've really been wanting to share a few songs, other blogs and some websites that will be helpful to you as you study God's word for yourself.

Exciting, right?
I think so :)

LOVE YOU GIRLS!

p.s.  Have you heard this song by Lecrae?  I love it!